Bow front Vanity - Advice or build resources?

[Henry W]

All:
Although I have built a few cabinets, I have not built a dresser. But I am hoping to build a bow front vanity (furniture style) for our bathroom renovation. At this point I am considering concepts more than exact designs - but I am happy to see either.

Anyone seen plans or build resources for such a thing? Any advice?

Either I build
1. a dresser or buffet looking piece - furniture style, using undermount slides for the drawers (spousal requirement). But this dresser could have lots of plywood.
2. a combo of traditional cabinets - modified to accommodate the curved front.
Either option likely needs curved doors, and / or curved drawer faces. I was just looking at a site that offered both curved doors and drawers - EDIT - I found it - Walzcraft.com (Curved Cabinet Doors & Radius Products).

 

[David Turner]

YouTube has numerous projects like you describe.

 

[Dee2]

All:
... But I am hoping to build a bow front vanity (furniture style) for our bathroom renovation. At this point I am considering concepts more than exact designs - but I am happy to see either.

Please, when you start this great project, log your work and photo your progress, would you build out a "how-to" record for our Resource forum?

 

[Henry W]

Please, when you start this great project, log your work and photo your progress, would you build out a "how-to" record for our Resource forum?

Yes I try to provide important details for most posts I have on builds, but I have not created any real step-by-step resources

 

[Dee2]

Thank you!

 

[skiz2331]

I did a double bow front (or demilune) vanity a while back.

 

[Henry W]

I did a double bow front (or demilune) vanity a while back.

How did you do the curved doors? Are the panels veneered 'bendy ply'?

 

[skiz2331]

Yes all laminations finished with veneer. I used all 1/8 bendy poplar laminations and urea resin to give them maximum rigidity.

 

[Henry W]

Yes all laminations finished with veneer. I used all 1/8 bendy poplar laminations and urea resin to give them maximum rigidity.

Did you purchase bendy ply? I have never looked for that - where did you buy? How thick were your panels?
Any tricks or advice on curved rails?

 

[skiz2331]

Did you purchase bendy ply? I have never looked for that - where did you buy? How thick were your panels?
Any tricks or advice on curved rails?

Yes it is a plywood that can be purchased. It's an Italian faced plywood that can be ordered in 4x8 or 8x4 sheets depending what direction you need it to bend. I haven't purchased it since moving to NC, but I would think Rugy or Wurth would carry it. I was able to use this on this project because I lumber banded the edges and then veneered. I have done another that was stile and rail and used 1/8" laminations on solid soft maple. Used a "saddle" with the inside radius matching the outside radius of the rail to be coped. I generally make a radiused applied molding for the inner profile. If you try to run it with the profile it can get washed out if the radius is too small.

 

[Henry W]

Nice - the two pics you have shown are closest to what i had imagined making, except for us the piece will be 'freestanding' not be wall to wall.

Thanks for the pointers and sharing your experience - I need to digest the possibilities and 'MAYBE decide on an approach (I need basic design first though). I'll try to post when I have an approach and then you'll be able to see all the pitfalls (haha).

 

[skiz2331]

Nice - the two pics you have shown are closest to what i had imagined making, except for us the piece will be 'freestanding' not be wall to wall.

Thanks for the pointers and sharing your experience - I need to digest the possibilities and 'MAYBE decide on an approach (I need basic design first though). I'll try to post when I have an approach and then you'll be able to see all the pitfalls (haha).

Absolutely. I don't mind doing quick CAD details if that helps. Ha! and I just read my previous reply. The company is Rugby not Rugy.